farragutpress

Farragut community mourns loss of Ralph Skinner

October 21, 2026 by Jake Nichols

The Farragut community has lost a man whose voice was synonymous with the Admirals’ baseball program.

Ralph Skinner, the longtime public address announcer for Farragut baseball, died this past weekend at the age of 71. 

He served the Admirals in the P.A. role for 25 years, stretching from 2001 to 2026.

“Ralph was a really classy guy,” Farragut athletic director Donald Dodgen said of Skinner. “He gave so much dedication and loyalty to the Farragut High School baseball program. He was one of a kind. Always there when we needed some help, and he was more than a P.A. person. He’d make sure the press box was clean, making sure things were working. Just a jack of all trades.”

Skinner’s years behind the microphone saw three different head coaches take the helm, as Tommy Pharr’s tenure gave way to that of Matt Buckner before Garrett Copeland took the reins.

“Just a lot of the things people have said,” Pharr noted of Skinner. “He was our booster club president when his oldest son Mark was a sophomore or junior, and he was the P.A. guy and has been throughout the years. He was a classy and kind person, helping other people. He loved Farragut baseball and was a big part of the program for more than 20 years.”

Pharr reiterated the importance of Skinner’s impact as a husband to his beloved wife, Susie, and a father to sons Mark and Andrew, both of whom played for Farragut.

“I got to see him raise his sons, what a good, godly man he was, the husband he was,” Pharr said. “He was a good friend to me. It’s a tough deal.”

“First of all, just a salt of the Earth person, a good man,” Buckner added of his own time with Skinner. “I talked to Coach Pharr (Sunday), and Coach Pharr coached Ralph’s kids. I think he’s one of the most identifiable people with Farragut baseball. The moment I stepped foot on campus, he was the first person I met with. Everybody knows Ralph. He’s kind and takes the time to talk to everyone. Just a super good dude, man. Condolences to his family.”

While Buckner interacted with Skinner at Farragut and as the Bearden coach, Copeland got a chance to connect with Skinner as a young Bulldog before taking over at FHS.

“I remember Ralph from when I was a player at Bearden, him being an integral part of the Farragut baseball community,” Copeland said. “He’d go spend 10 or 15 minutes talking to the other team’s players and coaches, being a people person. He will be missed and is someone that cannot be replaced.

“For anybody that’s committed to Farragut baseball, Ralph has to be at the top of the list,” Copeland continued. “He dedicated more than 25 years of his time serving our baseball community, something he always did with a smile on his face. You could tell he had a love for the program and the players. He was always willing to help, no matter whether the job was big or small.“

In his time in the Farragut press box, Skinner oversaw plenty of success. 

Fittingly, each of his final five years in the role ended with a state title.

Along with calling games for his own children, Skinner read out names of Admiral greats and professional standouts, such as Ben Joyce, Nick Senzel, Michael McKenry and Nicky Delmonico.

With a Facebook page noting his graduation from The University of Alabama, Skinner enjoyed sports beyond the baseball diamond, too. He spoke about his love for the Crimson Tide and declared himself an “avid fisherman” on his X account. 

But even with plenty of Tide-tinted success and fishing tales to celebrate, Skinner’s allegiance to Farragut baseball shone brightest.

Altogether, his upbeat voice carried the Admirals toward 22 state tournament appearances and 14 of their TSSAA-record 15 state titles. 

He was inducted into the Farragut High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2022 as the service honoree, and the press box overlooking The Ballpark at Farragut and John Heatherly Field was renamed in his honor in April 2019.

Skinner took visible pride in his role with the Admirals, working in color commentary as well. Also, one of his favorite days each year involved the program’s annual “throwback game” with wooden bats and 25-cent concession items.

In a tradition beginning under Pharr, Skinner leaned into the theme by donning a bow tie and vintage cap while cuing up classic tunes from Frank Sinatra and Tony Dorsey.

“He was doing it up, making it something special,” Pharr recalled with a smile. “That’s a tradition that’s carried on throughout the years.”

To announce his passing, the Farragut baseball team released a photo of Skinner in that exact outfit — a fitting nod to a man who gave his all for a program he loved. 

“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we share the news that Ralph Skinner passed away unexpectedly this weekend,” the post read Sunday, Oct. 18. “To know Ralph was to love Ralph! He was dedicated to the Farragut Baseball program and its success for years. Ralph was a man of faith and is home with the Lord.”

“Last year was his last year doing it because he was retiring, but he means the world to us,” Copeland added of Skinner. “When people think about Admiral baseball, they think about Ralph as well.” 

Note: details of any arrangements have not been relayed to the farragutpress as of this story’s publish date.